Kirsten
From North Germanic (Danish Kirsten and Norwegian Kirsten).
Every Kirsten since 1937 — 53,393 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kirsten
Kirsten is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,841 in 2025 with 60 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1937, 53,393 American babies have been named Kirsten. Its peak came in 1991, when 1,938 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kirsten stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kirsten year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2,841 | — | — |
| 2024 | 51 | #3,145 | — | — |
| 2023 | 36 | #4,088 | — | — |
| 2022 | 63 | #2,738 | — | — |
| 2021 | 57 | #2,943 | — | — |
| 2020 | 70 | #2,484 | — | — |
| 2019 | 60 | #2,803 | — | — |
| 2018 | 89 | #2,140 | — | — |
| 2017 | 107 | #1,897 | — | — |
| 2016 | 150 | #1,513 | — | — |
| 2015 | 123 | #1,715 | — | — |
| 2014 | 184 | #1,297 | — | — |
| 2013 | 212 | #1,137 | — | — |
| 2012 | 256 | #987 | — | — |
| 2011 | 309 | #854 | — | — |
| 2010 | 319 | #842 | — | — |
| 2009 | 454 | #652 | — | — |
| 2008 | 543 | #568 | — | — |
| 2007 | 726 | #444 | — | — |
| 2006 | 783 | #407 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,003 | #322 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,089 | #298 | 12 | #6,357 |
| 2003 | 1,116 | #280 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,126 | #278 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,224 | #260 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,273 | #255 | — | — |
| 1995 | 1,681 | #180 | — | — |
| 1990 | 1,869 | #157 | 10 | #5,208 |
| 1985 | 751 | #319 | 8 | #4,947 |
| 1980 | 705 | #343 | 12 | #3,523 |
| 1975 | 762 | #303 | — | — |
| 1970 | 1,034 | #284 | 12 | #2,804 |
| 1965 | 641 | #358 | — | — |
| 1960 | 258 | #629 | — | — |
| 1955 | 79 | #1,123 | — | — |
| 1950 | 28 | #1,815 | — | — |
| 1945 | 24 | #1,721 | — | — |
| 1940 | 24 | #1,614 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kirsten
- Kirsten Flagstad Singer · 1895–1962
- Kirsten Dunst Actor · b. 1982
- Kirsten Vangsness Actor · b. 1972
- Kirsten Price Pornographic actor · b. 1981
- Kirsten Gillibrand Politician · b. 1966
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kirsten mean?
From North Germanic (Danish Kirsten and Norwegian Kirsten).
How popular is the name Kirsten in 2025?
Kirsten ranked #2,841 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 60 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kirsten?
53,393 babies have been named Kirsten in the United States since 1937, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kirsten most popular?
Kirsten peaked in 1991, when 1,938 newborns received the name.
Is Kirsten a boy or girl name?
Kirsten is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kirsten rising or falling?
Kirsten is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kirsten?
Well-known people named Kirsten include Kirsten Flagstad (singer), Kirsten Dunst (actor), Kirsten Vangsness (actor).